During their sessions, King would warm up on the treadmill or elliptical machine before lifting weights or bending for lunges. She says she dreaded one exercise. “Rod calls it the ‘scoot’ where you squat and hop across the room,” she says. “I would feel it for days.” But King realized that the exercises were building up her endurance. For the most part, she’d always liked the eighth-floor view from her downtown Jackson, Miss., office building – except on the day of fire drills. “I would be out of breath by the fifth floor,” she remembers. “Now I can go down and come up with no problem.” King’s new figure began to emerge after a few months. Clothing that was once too small, hidden in the back of her closet, now fit. And
with the drop in two dress sizes came a new confidence. After years of taking belly-dancing classes at a local college, King danced in her first recital. Wearing a fitted spaghetti-strapped top and a black and gold skirt, King swayed her hips before an audience filled with family, friends and strangers. “I was nervous,” she says. “I didn’t know how others would perceive me, but I had fun.” Well on her way to reaching her goal of dropping 100 pounds, King hopes her weight loss will lead to a new outlook on life, and more courage about dating. That’s because she won’t let her size get in the way of pursuing a romantic relationship. In 2009, she’s looking to lose weight while growing her self image and
her social calendar. “I’m more encouraged now to continue,” she says. “This is the most weight I’ve ever lost and don’t want to let that go to waste.” King’s lifetime membership at the Payton Center will help her reach her fitness goals. “I do not have any excuse not to exercise,” she says. “I have been given an opportunity and I intend to take full advantage of it.”
APRIL’S TIPS *Find a physical activity you enjoy. *Find a partner. *Give your body time to adjust.
ve r n o n yo ung a residence hall on campus, er, more frequent meals. Young now cooks his he qualified for the univer- meals at night. Dinner might include baked sity’s employee discount at chicken or fish and a green salad. The lunch bag the Walter Payton Recreation he carries around with him is usually filled with and Wellness Center, giving almonds, tuna and protein shakes. him access and no excuses. Now back to his junior high school size of a Three years and countless 36-inch waist, Young says he still follows Dahours in the gym later, Young vis’ diet plan, even when he’s eating out with shed 132 pounds, trimming friends. He skips fried food and goes for salads his 6-foot frame down to 253 and baked meats and chooses water instead of pounds. “I’ve shed a whole soda. person,” Young says follow- Although Pusha no longer works at the Paying a Sunday afternoon work- ton Center, she’s still one of Young’s biggest out at the center. motivators. At 6 a.m., Young, Pusha and several Young credits former Pay- Jackson State employees meet for their two- or ton Center trainer Tasha three-mile run. On Sundays, Young does what Pusha with helping to jump- he calls his “long run” where he may go four Vernon Young has lost more than 100 pounds while working out at start his transformation. He miles. the Walter Payton Recreation and Wellness Center. began attending Pusha’s “I don’t quit,” says Young, wearing a T-shirt aerobics and spin classes. with his favorite saying, “Impossible is notht the age of 13, Vernon Young was a sev- “I tried to complain, but it didn’t work with ing.” enth-grader who weighed 250 pounds. her,” Young says with a laugh of Pusha’s at- Others have noticed Young’s fitness makeAs a football player in his hometown titude and no-nonsense approach to training. over. of Greenville, Miss., Young’s large size was “Tasha didn’t let you cheat. She will not let you “At least 10 people come to me daily and say, accepted. Years later, when he became a 310- do that to yourself.” ‘I look up to you. What can I do?’ “ he says. “I pound defensive tackle for the Jackson State Payton Center trainer Rod Davis sketched out say you’ve got wonderful people right here. University football team, the extra pounds were a meal plan that required Young to forgo some Come join us at the Walter Payton Center.” even considered an asset. of his favorite foods. Young typed it up and car But when his football career ended in 2001, ried it around with him like a toddler with a seYoung’s weight spiraled out of control. “By the curity blanket. VERNON’S TIPS time I graduated, I’d gained 25, 30 pounds,” the “I kept that piece of paper with me all of 31-year-old says. “I wasn’t doing anything in the time,” he says. Now a mature fitness buff, *Drink water instead of 2002, 2003, 2004 or 2005. Then I started to de- Young has committed the plan to memory. “Besodas or tea. velop a breathing problem. I got on a scale and fore I would eat a whole cheesecake,” Young *Walk 30 to 45 minutes a day I was like 392 pounds.” says. “Pizza? I could eat a large by myself. *Don’t give up. Young set out on a mission to improve his I could go to a Chinese buffet and go to work.” health. As the assistant community director of Excessive eating has been replaced by small-
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